A final class composition project will be undertaken by the class. The project itself is flexible in form and must involve the class as a group producing a work that reflects their strengths and musical understanding. Often music technology is incorporated in the production of the project. Examples of past projects include:
2017, Ideas: Pictures at An Exhibition (Allentown Art Museum paintings), or Podcast on Today's Style Period (Name and Defend Why)
2016, Students imagined and created variations of their own to extend Elgar's wonderful composition, "Enigma Variations."
2014, an instrumental suite based on COLORS.
2013, an instrumental suite (chamber winds, strings, pno.) with narrator (scored poems), based on impressions of selected holidays. Members of the Music Theory 2 class performed the suite.
2010, an instrumental suite (chamber winds, strings, perc.) about various weather conditions entitled, Cloudy with a Chance of Weather. Members of the Music Theory 2 class served as the chamber orchestra for this project.
2009, a mini-operetta ("operetta-etta"?) entitled The Digestive System for three vocal soloists and small orchestra. Members of the Music Theory 2 class served as singers and chamber orchestra for this project.
2007, a CD recordings entitled Dinner Party Suite (each movement programmatically describing a course, i.e. “Champagne”, “Soup du Jour”, etc.). This project was produced using music production software and hardware in the Music Technology Lab.
2005, a CD recording entitled Sketches for Children (musical underscoring to a collection of children’s poems read by class members). This project was produced using music production software and hardware in the Music Technology Lab.
THESIS
Your instructor will serve as your guide and coach, but will allow students to wrestle with the large and small decisions of executing the project. Your FIRST and most IMPORTANT decision, and the only one your instructor will have ultimate approval over, will be choosing the project itself. Your project must reflect the scope of the class - involving an understanding of harmony, form, compositional narrative, and other themes presented during the class.
Ultimately, your project theme must explore a musical problem that needs to be solved or a musical proposition that is explored/exploited in an interesting way.
PROCESS
This project is EXTREMELY student led. Your instructor will offer guidance and coaching, but it is up to the class to design and execute this final project.
Decide on writing tasks for each class member.
Pre-Composition: Sketch and develop in Noteflight, sharing daily with class and Dr. Watson.
Begin assembling your piece, sharing often with class and Dr. Watson.
Show preview passages to instrumentalists for feedback, but ultimately generate performance parts for members of your ensemble.
Rehearse near-final draft of your piece with live performers; make edits based on aural and critical feedback.
Final reading of piece and Noteflight score constitute the final documents of your piece. If time, we can assemble a movie or other by-product of the performance.
GRADE
You will keep a project log, recording tasks you carry out in pursuit of this project, on a near-daily basis. In addition, as your "coach" throughout the process I will be very aware of your active involvement and efforts in carrying out this project in class. Both your project log and my observations will factor into your grade. A third factor, the quality of the finished product (whether that be a live performance, a produced CD, a movie on DVD, or whatever) will be factored into your grade. Items 1 and 2 rely only on the effort/achievement of each individual. Please note that excessive classroom absence may affect these areas. If this is a concern, make plans to catch up on missed project work time during after school sessions. Item 3 relies on the collaborative success of the class.
You have not completed this project until you:
1. PROVIDE A PRINTED COPY OF, AND SEND ME THE URL(s) for any music you create with NOTEFLIGHT.COM for this project. Email the URL to watsons@parklandsd.org.
2. TURNED IN TO ME IN ELECTRONIC/DIGITAL FORM THE "PRODUCT" DETERMINED FOR THIS YEAR'S PROJECT.
Email to drscottwatson@gmail.com
3. COMPLETE YOUR PROJECT LOG ENTRIES
TIMELINE
Although specific dates will be given you for drafts and final presentation, you will have approximately 3 weeks to complete the project.
For 2018: May 3 - May 29 (w/performance May 30)
For 2017: May 8 - May 31 (w/performance on June 1)
For 2014: May 13 - June 4 (w/performance on June 5)
For 2013: May 15 - May 31 (w/"performance on Jun 3 or 4)
For 2012: May 15 - June 1 (performance).
For 2011: May 9 and wrap up June 3.
CAPITALIZE ON YOUR STRENGTHS
Survey your classes' interests, instrumental and vocal talents, comfort level and experience with technology (both here in the lab and at home), past experience and success writing music, potential related artistic skills (i.e. graphic designer, poet, film maker, narrator voice, remix/mash-up artist, etc.) to see what special characteristics of this year's class might drive the choice and mode of execution of the project.
I encourage class members to "think outside of the box." You don't have to do what has been done before. Your instructor, however, will function as a safety net to be sure that what you choose can be carried out effectively.
QUALITY vs. QUANTITY
Do what you do well, and don't "bite off more than you can chew." As you choose an appropriate project to serve as an artistic expression of what you've learned during the course, be mindful of the time it takes to develop ideas into music, and then to refine the music so it is artistically strong and compelling. It would be better to write a brief, 2:00 movement that you've had the opportunity to edit, revise, refine and polish to a high level of artistry then to write a 6:00 movement that is shallow in thoughtful compositional technique. This is a question of DEPTH vs. BREADTH.
FINAL CLASS PROJECT
INFO ON 2017 AP Music Theory Class FINAL PROJECT
2016 AP THEORY FINAL PROJECT
Hear the 2009 AP Theory Class FINAL PROJECT here!
Hear the 2014 AP Theory Class FINAL PRJECT here!
A final class composition project will be undertaken by the class. The project itself is flexible in form and must involve the class as a group producing a work that reflects their strengths and musical understanding. Often music technology is incorporated in the production of the project. Examples of past projects include:
THESIS
Your instructor will serve as your guide and coach, but will allow students to wrestle with the large and small decisions of executing the project. Your FIRST and most IMPORTANT decision, and the only one your instructor will have ultimate approval over, will be choosing the project itself. Your project must reflect the scope of the class - involving an understanding of harmony, form, compositional narrative, and other themes presented during the class.
Ultimately, your project theme must explore a musical problem that needs to be solved or a musical proposition that is explored/exploited in an interesting way.
PROCESS
This project is EXTREMELY student led. Your instructor will offer guidance and coaching, but it is up to the class to design and execute this final project.
GRADE
You will keep a project log, recording tasks you carry out in pursuit of this project, on a near-daily basis. In addition, as your "coach" throughout the process I will be very aware of your active involvement and efforts in carrying out this project in class. Both your project log and my observations will factor into your grade. A third factor, the quality of the finished product (whether that be a live performance, a produced CD, a movie on DVD, or whatever) will be factored into your grade. Items 1 and 2 rely only on the effort/achievement of each individual. Please note that excessive classroom absence may affect these areas. If this is a concern, make plans to catch up on missed project work time during after school sessions. Item 3 relies on the collaborative success of the class.
RUBRIC USED TO CALCULATE RESULTANT WORK
WRAPPING UP
You have not completed this project until you:1. PROVIDE A PRINTED COPY OF, AND SEND ME THE URL(s) for any music you create with NOTEFLIGHT.COM for this project. Email the URL to watsons@parklandsd.org.
2. TURNED IN TO ME IN ELECTRONIC/DIGITAL FORM THE "PRODUCT" DETERMINED FOR THIS YEAR'S PROJECT.
- Email to drscottwatson@gmail.com
3. COMPLETE YOUR PROJECT LOG ENTRIESTIMELINE
Although specific dates will be given you for drafts and final presentation, you will have approximately 3 weeks to complete the project.
CAPITALIZE ON YOUR STRENGTHS
Survey your classes' interests, instrumental and vocal talents, comfort level and experience with technology (both here in the lab and at home), past experience and success writing music, potential related artistic skills (i.e. graphic designer, poet, film maker, narrator voice, remix/mash-up artist, etc.) to see what special characteristics of this year's class might drive the choice and mode of execution of the project.
I encourage class members to "think outside of the box." You don't have to do what has been done before. Your instructor, however, will function as a safety net to be sure that what you choose can be carried out effectively.
QUALITY vs. QUANTITY
Do what you do well, and don't "bite off more than you can chew." As you choose an appropriate project to serve as an artistic expression of what you've learned during the course, be mindful of the time it takes to develop ideas into music, and then to refine the music so it is artistically strong and compelling. It would be better to write a brief, 2:00 movement that you've had the opportunity to edit, revise, refine and polish to a high level of artistry then to write a 6:00 movement that is shallow in thoughtful compositional technique. This is a question of DEPTH vs. BREADTH.
VIEW THE CLASS PROJECT LOG
SPRING 2014 WORK AREA
**SPRING 2013 WORK AREA**
Could this be the model for our NEXT AP Music Theory Class Final Project?